Apple BootCamp and Parallels are two alternatives for installing operating systems like Windows on Apple computers. These two solutions both offer pros and cons and both use two different technologies. In this article we will see how to choose the solution that is right for you.
Steps
Step 1. Compare the costs
- Apple BootCamp is a free utility pre-installed on all Mac OS X systems. This means that the only cost of this solution is the cost of the operating system license you intend to install on your Apple machine.
- The newer Parallels program, such as Parallels Dekstop 6 for Mac, costs $ 79.99 new and $ 49.99 as an upgrade. Anyway, you can download Parallels 14 days trial version for free.
Step 2. Let's compare the differences of these two technologies
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Apple BootCamp allows you to run operating systems natively, that is, providing full access to system resources such as CPU, graphics and other resources. This could be crucial for some applications such as video games, which are very resource-intensive. However, this also means that you will only be able to use one operating system at a time, without the ability to use Mac OPS X and the other operating system simultaneously.
- Parallels allows you to create a virtual machine to be used on the currently open operating system. This way, you can use the operating system within a Mac OS X window, allowing you to essentially use both operating systems at the same time.
Step 3. Let's examine the pros and cons of these two solutions
- The most obvious difference in the user experience is the fact that Parallels allows you to instantly switch from Mac OS X to another operating system. BootCamp, on the other hand, allows you to choose one or the other operating system when the computer starts.
- Parallels is highly integrated into Mac OS X, allowing you to transfer files from one operating system to another, as well as from Mac OS X to Windows, by simply dragging files from one window to another. You can also access the folders on the Mac through the operating system installed on Parallels and vice versa. These operations are not possible with BootCamp.
- System startup time is much shorter on BootCamp compared to Parallels. Starting the operating system through Parallels is comparable to opening a new application. Launching the operating system via BootCamp is an operation totally identical to starting the operating system natively installed on the computer.
Step 4. Consider the impact on system resources
When you use an operating system through Parallels, it will share system resources with the version of Mac OS X you are using. Therefore, you may experience system slowdowns, even if your system meets the minimum application and operating system requirements. If you are planning to use resource-intensive applications such as video games and video manipulation programs, then probably the best solution for you is to use BootCamp. This way the operating system will have full access to the computer resources as if it were natively installed on the computer
Step 5. Compare the installation procedures
- Preparing to install the operating system with both solutions is done through on-screen instructions and takes approximately 5-15 mins. The installation of the real operating system after the initial program setup process will be done according to the system procedure in question. For example, to install Windows, the installation process will be identical to installing on a PC.
- Installation via BootCamp requires a pre-installed utility on all Intel based Macs called "Boot Camp assistant", which allows you to partition the hard drive and create a virtual CD containing all the drivers necessary for the operating system.
- The installation of the operating system through Parallels includes the process of creating the virtual machine on the operating system in use and preparing the virtual drive. It will also be able to specify how much RAM should be reserved for the operating system on the virtual machine. An advantage of this installation process is the ability to select the "Expanding" disk format, which causes the disk image to grow or shrink as needed, using only the space actually required on the host computer's disk.
Advice
- Parallels Desktop has the ability to manage BootCamp partitions - that way you can kill two birds with one stone. Make sure you install Windows first via the BootCamp utility, then open the BootCamp partition via Parallels. Also make sure you install Parallels tools when starting Windows through Parallels. These tools provide some routines that prevent Windows from asking you again to register your copy of Windows after switching from BootCamp to Parallels or vice-versa. After that, you can start Windows either via BootCamp or via Mac OS using Parlalels.
- Parallels Desktop provides support for installing other operating systems such as Linux and BSD. BootCamp no.
Warnings
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Installing the same copy of the operating system using both BootCamp and Parallels requires multiple or separate licenses.
- To install an operating system via BootCamp you must have a single Mac OS X partition formatted as Extended (Journaled). If there are currently multiple partitions on the drive, you need to delete these partitions before using the utility.
